Insight: Issue 143 | Wed 5 July

Weekly news infusion

Got a tremendous thirst for the freshest in event related news items? Don’t worry – we’ll quench that for you. 

So what’s the sitch this week?: SEC expands sustainability team; A new era of accessible and inclusive meetings; mia launches student membership to inspire the next generation of event professionals; How to prevent digital chaos in live virtual production; Drone display at the Wine Festival celebrations in Bordeaux

SEC expands sustainability team

Say hello to Garima Singh – The SEC’s new sustainability manager.

The newest appointee doubles down the SEC’s mission to Net Zero – taking their sustainability game to the next level. Dedicated to achieving all-out Net Zero by 2030, the Glasgow events campus cohort is already making strides in their efforts since their pledge last year, unveiling its pioneering sustainable food strategy.

Garima Singh, Sustainability Manager, SEC, comments: “As a world-class venue, SEC is prioritising better outcomes for its staff, its clients, its community, and the environment through its sustainability strategy. With an ambitious Net Zero target of 2030,I am excited to be joining SEC where I can continue to have a meaningful impact.”

 A new era of accessible and inclusive meetings

Lime Venue Portfolio’s research presented at The Meetings Show last Thursday indicates that the Meeting of the Future will revolutionise accessible and inclusive meetings. Drawing from six months worth of painstaking research, including cross-industry focus groups and data from upwards of 60 sources, the study signals a drive to break down barriers and create inclusive spaces for attendees new to events. The main catalyst for the Lime team’s research was the increasing demand from event pros and those in the biz to gain a fuller understanding as to whats in store for events within the next three to five years. 

Lime Venue Portfolio’s Sales Director, Jo Austin comments:

“We’re once again happy to adopt our role as the self-appointed cheerleaders for better meetings. But also, to act as the go to brand for new thinking, challenging opinion, and inspiring interesting ideas about how these meetings could look,”

“The findings from the Meeting of the Future, while not being rocket science, point towards a really responsible industry that is taking subjects such as sustainability, inclusion, diversity and accessibility seriously. If only half of the potential we’ve seen comes true, we’ll be looking at some incredible events to come.”

Mia launches student membership to inspire next generation of event professionals

Here’s a first-class student offer. 

The Meetings Industry Association (mia) student membership, aimed at inspiring the next generation of talent in the events game, has landed. Priced at the bobby dazzling sum of £45+VAT a year (bargain), the membership offers exclusive educational and job opportunities, serving as a platform for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Students will enjoy benefits like monthly meetings with expert mentors, referrals to mia members for work experience and placements, and listings on the upcoming student job board. If that wasn’t enough, they will have access to special recruitment days and receive discounts on industry events. The mia’s announcement was made during a dedicated ‘Next Generation’ tour and educational program at The Meetings Show.

mia CEO Kerrin MacPhie, said:

“A student membership is something that has been a key focus since my appointment at the end of 2021 and following extensive discussions with universities and academic institutions we’re excited to help inspire future business meetings and events professionals.”

How to prevent digital chaos in live virtual production

Virtual production (VP) is revolutionising film, TV series, and live event production. But here’s the rub – managing digital files in real time has its challenges. In order to address this, studios and live event teams already using game engines like Unity or Unreal are adopting a video game stalwart: version control. 

When tackling with a plethora of different file types, and multiple collaborators working simultaneously, it goes without saying that those last-minute iterations require efficient coordination.

So how can we use version control? 

Well, here’s a couple of key things:

Revolutionising live productions with better digital asset management

Live VP pioneers like Dimension Studio, Prismax, and Silver Spoon are adopting version control software to track and manage every single digital asset. Teams can collaborate globally, make changes with ease, and fix mistakes no problem. It enables asset reusability and empowers studios to explore new possibilities in real-time VP without technological limitations.

Put people in charge

Integrating version control into an AV teams’ workflow may initially seem mind boggling.To make the process easier, designate a few individuals to oversee version control setup and gradually involve other team members. Assign responsible team members to ensure files are properly tested and approved before merging into the production ready branch.

See the full article to get Perforce Software’s Jase Lindgre’s full take on version control.

Drone display at the Wine Festival celebrations in Bordeaux

A large glass of red please. (Very large)

In a spectacular 400 strong drone show over the banks of the Garonne river, a bottle of Bordeaux’s finest effortlessly poured itself into a wine glass, wowing onlookers as the stunning display lit up the night sky.

Operated by French company Dronios, the production was part of the region’s annual wine festival, this year held between the 22-25th of June.

It’s adios for this week.

 Mosey on over next week for more events madness.